Review of 2009
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A review of what's happened on Scotland's railway network during 2009.
Freightliner Heavy Haul begin operating coal trains in new areas starting Spring 2009
Raith's Farm terminal at Dyce sees its first freight train 12th May
'Review of 2009' message thread
Operations and Services
Passenger Services
Timetable Change on Sunday 17th May
- Alloa gets a direct train to Edinburgh (via Stirling) from May timetable change
- Laurncekirk station re-opens
The new timetable starting on Sunday 13th December
- Additional 'fast' trains on the Glasgow Central - Shotts - Edinburgh route to give a two train per hour frequency
- Kilmarnock - Glasgow Central becomes two trains per hour.
- A second peak time class 67 hauled train is introduced between Edinburgh and Glenrothes
- National Express East Coast franchise terminated, with Government owned East Coast taking over on 14th November.
Freight Services
- Offical opening of Inverness Needlefield intermodal terminal on 20/01/09, DRS 66414 becomes "James the Engine" in Stobart Rail livery.
Freightliner Heavy Haul begin operating coal trains in new areas starting Spring 2009
- Leith - Drax P.S. (6E81)
- Ravenstruther - Cockenzie P.S. (6B32)
- Chalmerston/Ravenstruther - Longannet P.S.
Rolling Stock Maintenance
Railcare, Glasgow Works
- Glasgow Works:Report for 2009
- Repainting of the ex-SPT 156s in blue 'Saltire' livery
- 66841-844 (formerly 66406-409) Repainted in Advenza blue livery.
- Class 142 (Northern and First Great Western) C6 overhauls completed by end of May.
- Glasgow Subway trailer car refurbishemt completed in March.
- Class 318 and 320 visit for C4 overhauls
- Class 314s receiving Life extension work.
Brush Barclay, Kilmarnock
Refurbishment of HST trailers for First Great WesternRolling Stock and Unusual Workings
Passenger
Freight
Advenza
- Go out of business...
DB Schenker
- DBS takes over operation of the Autumn Railhead treatment trains. 67004 is the loco used on the Inverness RHTT, MPVs used on circuits from Ayr, Mossend and Millerhill.
Raith's Farm terminal at Dyce sees its first freight train 12th May
DRS
- DRS and JG Russell start a new flow from Coatbridge to Inverness on 23 September. Pairs of class 37s are used for the first few weeks, but class 66 become the usual motive power.
Freightliner
GBRf
- GBRf make use of 86702 on mail trains.
Network Rail Test Trains
- Class 31 in BR Blue.
Refurbishments
- National Express East Coast HST refurbishment completed.
Glasgow Subway
Railtours
The Royal Scotsman
- 47787 and 47804 dominate the The Royal Scotsman programme, but there are a large number of cancellations due to low bookings
- Diagrams:The Royal Scotsman 2009
Main Line Steam highlights:
- Newly built A1 steam loco 60163 Tornado came to Edinburgh on 28th February, returning to York on March 7th. 60163 made a second visit on 25/04 for the Race to the North for BBC's Top Gear TV programme.
- The Great Britain II tour in April used steam locomotives 46115 Scots Guardsman, Black 5s 45231 and 45407, K4 61994, and A4 60009.
- Two A4 Streamliners at Dundee on 17/04/2009 Sunday 17th April, 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley and 60009 Union of South Africa
- SRPS runs steam hauled Forth Circle tours via the SAK line, with K1 61994 on 5th April and A4 60009 on 23rd Aug.
- An SRPS tour on 4th July took 60009 to Inverness.
- LMS 5690 'Leander' works the Preston - Glasgow leg of 'The West Highlander tour on 25th September and the south bound leg on 27th after visitng Bo'ness.
- 5972 Olton Hall travels North for Harry Potter filming on 16th September. This takes place on the West Highland line between Rannoch and Corrour on the 20th.
- The Fort William - Mallaig Jacobite steam service used Black 5 45231, K1 62005, and replacement Black 5 45407 from early August.
Other Charters
- 'The Forth McFreighter' on Sunday 8th February, powered by 66039 & 66201 (top and tail) visited Powdwerhall, North Berwick, Millerhill, Leith Docks, Grangemouth and the SAK route.
- 40145 worked 'The East Lancs Ambassador' to Edinburgh on 3rd January, again to Edinburgh on 23rd May with 'The Settle Scotsman' from Shrewsbury, and also on SRPS Carlisle - Inverness tour on 5th September.
- D1015 Western Champion reaches Kyle of Lochalsh on the 20th of June with the "Western Chieftan" railtour from Bristol.
- DRS 20302 and 37069 visited Mallaig on 17th July and Oban on 18th with Spitfire's West Highlander tour
- Virgin Train's Pretendolino Mk3 DVT set with loco 90036 is used on a Celtic Footex on 26th August
Infrastructure
Major Projects
- The Airdrie - Bathgate scheme sees overhead wiring appear between Haymarket and Newbridge Junction, during the autumn.
- Barrhead - Kilmarnock Enhancement is completed, allowing a half-hourly service to run between Glasgow and Kilmarnock.
- Glasgow Central car park closes on 27th September as work starts on constructing new platforms.
Track Renewals
- S&C renewals at Dubbs Jn, Slateford crossover, Kirtlebridge crossovers, Larkfield crossover, Carmuirs East Jn, North Queensferry, Whifflet North Jn and Stenton crossovers.
- Elderslie (as part of GARL or AIP as it is now known).
Stations
- More stations get the 'Saltire' Branding.
- New footbridges with lifts are built at Dalmuir and Motherwell.
Depots
Other events and news
- RMT start a campaign against extension of DOO on the new Airdrie - Bathgate - Edinburgh route.
Weather related problems
- Flooding disrupts ECML services on 3rd October
- Flooding causes disruption in Central Scotland on 19th November
- late December was a bit snowy
- 37401 (EWS colours) and 37425 (BR large logo) are sent to Inverness and Aberdeem in December to cover snowplough duties.
Accidents
- 27th January - 6B01 Grangemouth to Prestwick oil train derails and catches fire near Stewarton.
- 29th September - Three people died when their car was struck by a train on Halkirk AOCL.
Rail Policy
- The Scottish Government decides to cancel GARL due to a lack of finance.
- The tendering process begins on the Waverley Line.
Preservation
Bo'ness / SRPS
- A Class 37 running Day is held at Bo'ness on 3rd January, DRS 37611, 37175 in undercoat, and 37025 BR large logo, were all working trains. 37403 and 37413 awaiting restoration were also present.
- Caledonian 0-4-4T 419 appears as 55189 in lined BR Black at the end of February for its last runs before being stopped overhaul.
- 37175 is outshopped at Bo'ness on February 9th in the BR Blue livery carried 23 years earlier whilst based at Eastfield. Unfortunately the loco is taken out of traffic for an urgent engine overhaul without turning a wheel in anger in this livery.
- The Diesel Gala August 28-30th August features DRS 66412 in Malcolm Rail livery, plus D5394, D5310, D8020, 26024, 27001, 37025, 47643.
- D5394 (27050) becomes 27106 for the Bo'ness summer diesel gala in August after a lengthy overhaul, prior to being transported north to its home at the Strathspey Railway.
- D5310 (26010) departed for its new home at Llangollen in September.
- A start is made on the major overhaul of 37403 at Bo'ness with the power unit removed from the loco on December 5th.
'Review of 2009' message thread